Page 108 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)_Neat

V.] SHERRI TO SIN A i. 89

its costliness and riches, excites in a particular
manner the attention of a traveller. It is
said to have been built by Justinian, at the
time that he founded the monastery, and his
picture, with that of Theodora, may yet be
traced in the upper part of the dome erected
over the altar. Some fine pillars support the
roof, the floor is beautifully tesselated with
variegated marbles, and along the walls, and
in almost every part of the church, there

are numerous paintings of our Saviour, the
Apostles, and also many allegorical subjects.
Some of these are well, others are wretchedly
executed. The mirth of our tars could scarcely
be suppressed, when they saw a broad cari­
cature of the Day of Judgment, in which a
number of grotesque naked figures are repre­
sented as having just risen from the grave,
and from the sea. They wait their turn to be
weighed in a pair of scales supported by
an angel, while the Devil, in the shape of a

huge shark, with distended jaws, lurks below
to receive those who are found wanting, A
light arch, supported by gilt columns, sepa­
rates the body of the church from the pre­
cincts of the altar: the upper part of this